Stay
by charahs
Summary: This is an AU story that takes place during Piper's college years. She has to make various decisions about her life in terms of career, relationships, and friendships. What will she decide? Rated M for language, and maybe sexual references in the future.
1. Chapter 1

**_AN: This is an AU. It does not relate much to the real story line, except for the use of characters. I do not own any of the characters. They belong to their rightful owners, Piper Kerman and Orange is the New Black writers and producers. _**

* * *

_Alex,_

_I'm sorry. I can't do this. If it's meant to be, it will be._

_Yours always,_

_Piper._

* * *

**Thanksgiving Eve**

"Fuck her! Where is she?" Alex walked desperately back and forth, trying to keep her emotions at bay. "She can't do this. Not now! Fuck!"

"Alex, calm down. You of all people know she couldn't stay after what happened." Nicky tried to comfort her.

"Fuck you too, Nicky. You knew about this, didn't you? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Don't you try to turn this around at me! I'm not going there. Did you forget about your fucking 'first rule'?"

Alex crushed the note in her hands. Tears flooding through her eyes, she couldn't hold herself anymore. The monster of her emotions escaped. She fell crumbling to the floor. Nicky, being a good friend, remained silent and held her as she let her heart break bit by bit.

_It's Thanksgiving tomorrow. Piper's favorite holiday. All of our friends are coming over to give thanks as one big family. How am I supposed to face everyone? Alex thought._

"I think we should cancel the party" Nicky suggested, testing the waters.

"Can we do that, please?"

"Of course we can. I'm sure they'll understand. If you want, I'll do it myself. I'll call them for you, and I'll leave a special message to Polly, that bitch."

"Will you?" Alex looked hopefully at Nicky.

"The bitch's gotta pay" Nicky wiped the tears from Alex's face.

"Wait. Wait. I can't do this. I don't know… What about Piper? She's her best friend. I know she gave Pipes bad advice, but I still don't want to hurt her. I love her." Alex was on the brim of crying once again.

"Well, if it wasn't for her bad advice, your Pipes would still be here, am I right?"

"I don't know, Nicky, would she?"

* * *

**A few weeks ago**

**Alex's Party **

**12:57 AM**

"Alex, we have to talk" Piper squeezed Alex's hand as they walked down through the crowds of people.

"Can we do that later, Pipes? Let's enjoy the party for now!" Alex didn't bother looking back at Piper's face. "Here's your margarita. Let's dance!"

"ALEX. It's important!" Piper nervously shouts. For a moment she thinks everyone wants to be a part of their conversation. "I've been talking to Polly recently about some really important subjects" Piper whispered. Her cheeks were bright pink.

"What did Polly say about me now? Your fucking friend doesn't like me one bit" Alex retorts, and instantly she regrets it because she sees _the look._

"Fuck. I'm sorry Pipes. I didn't mean to -"

Before Alex could finish her sentence, Piper was already out of the door.

_Good job, Vause. You screwed up again._

"Piper! Wait!" Alex ran after her. When she was finally caught up, she grabbed Piper's wrist and spun her around. She took a moment to catch her breath. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you back there."

"Fuck you, Alex!" Piper took a long breath and gave in to her emotions. "Fuck you for stealing my heart, you jerk. Fuck you for making me feel like this. Fuck you!"

Having her breath back in rhythm, Alex loses it again as she kisses Piper. A small smile creeping up her lips. "Is this the way you're confessing to me?"

Piper gave her a small slap on her shoulder. "Shut up."

"Yes, ma'am." Alex said between small kisses. "So what did you want to talk about?"

At this mention, Piper froze in place. Knowing Piper for quite a while, Alex immediately could tell something was definitely wrong. Piper withdrew from their embrace and it suddenly felt very cold.

"Piper. What is it?"

Piper couldn't make herself look into Alex's eye. Hesitating, she whispered "Larry is back."

"So? I thought you were over him… Actually, I'm pretty confident you are over him." Alex gave her a wink, which earned her another slap on the shoulder. "Ouch, are you trying to rip my arm off?" Alex earned the grin she got from Piper. There. Much better. "Is that all, Pipes?" Alex's hand caressed Piper's cheek.

Looking away, Piper mumbled, "he came with a message from my parents." At the mention of Piper's parents, Alex stiffened. They were the greatest homophobes she ever knew. They claimed that Alex was just a 'phase' for Piper.

"They said I'll have to marry him or else they'll pull me out of the university, and stop funding my career. They even said they will disown me if I resist. Alex, I'm scared. You know how much I love this place. You know I don't want to leave. I don't want to leave you. Polly stands by my mother, saying that with Larry, I'll have a stable future, but that's not what I want. I want to stay here and be with you, fulfilling my dream. Alex, help me."

Alex was completely dumbfounded, speechless. _What the hell am I supposed to do? What the actual fuck._ She decided that the best thing to do was to hold Piper - to let her know she was there. She was as scared as she was; sad as she was.

* * *

_**AN: I know this is both short and sad and out of character, but I am completely into fluffy, cute kind of love. Must be the menses, or not. Sorry about the bad language by the way, and for any mistakes in my writing. I'm actually more of a sciences person, not humanities. I know, I know, but please bear with me for a while, will ya? **_

_**Thanks! :) Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!**_


	2. Chapter 2 - Flashback Part 1

**_AN: This is an AU. It does not relate much to the real story line, except for the use of characters. I do not own any of the characters. They belong to their rightful owners, Piper Kerman and Orange is the New Black writers and producers. _**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_"What's the rush?" A hoarse voice reaches her ears. Piper stops in her tracks, looking for the source of the sexy voice. She is indeed in a hurry. Getting out of her one and only chemistry class was so hard. She had postponed it as long as she could, but she was already in her junior year of college, and this class is a prerequisite for her graduation. Dr. James never lets them get out at the right time. He thinks his class is the only one people have during the day. Now she needed to go to her psychology class. Her major was in education with a minor in Psychology._

Only a few more semesters, _Piper thought gladly_, a small smile on the corner of her lips.

_"Hello? Earth to stranger?" The deep, throaty voice brought Piper back to reality. Looking for the source of the voice, she spun around and found that it belonged to a very attractive person. Sitting on a black couch was a gorgeous, tall woman holding a book on her hands. Piper couldn't help but notice the beautiful outline of her face, and the black rimmed glasses that perfectly complemented her black hair._

Not now Piper. You've been late twice already in class. Keep walking. – _her mind urged her._

_"I'm sorry. I'm in a hurry." Piper blushed and resumed her marathon to her next class._

_"I knew that" the stranger whispered to herself as she watched Piper leave quickly._

* * *

_"Why are you always late to class?" Polly asked playfully as she saw her best friend slip on the seat beside her. "I can't keep saving you seats for the rest of your life, you know that right?"_

_"Thank you, Polly. You're a life saver." Piper rolled her eyes._

_"Don't you go rolling your eyes on me. So, what happened?"_

_"What do you mean what happened?"_

_"Well, you have this stupid grin on your face, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't because of something Larry did. He might be good for you, but I also know that he doesn't provide you with the 'excitement' you say you need in your life."_

_"I don't know what you're talking about, Polly. Can we please pay attention to class now? You're thinking too much"_

_"Yeah, right. You'll have to tell me everything later."_

_"Shut up"_

_Polly was right. Piper couldn't wipe the stupid grin off her face. It's a boost of confidence when someone attractive talks to you, regardless of gender. For the next days, Piper eagerly looked for the owner of the voice who wouldn't stop ringing in her ears. Every time she got out of her chemistry class, she would rush in the same path to her psychology class to see if she could meet the stranger again, apologize for her rudeness, and maybe introduce herself. For a whole week, she couldn't seem to find the so called stranger. When she had almost given hope, to her surprise, on a Monday morning, she saw the black locks that she had been looking for a while. Their owner was sitting in the same position and in the same place reading a different, thicker book. Piper blushed, and her heart started to jump nervously. Her hands were so sweaty she had to wipe them off her jeans._

Should I talk to her? Should I? I'm so nervous? Will I look creepy? What will I say? Hey there, do you remember me from that time I was running and I was kind of rude to you? Maybe this isn't such a good idea. I'm so stupid. – _Piper rushed again to her class._

_"Why the sad face?" Polly was sincerely worried about her friend. "Did your parents call you?"_

_"It's nothing, Polly" Piper tried to brush her off._

_"Nothing, my ass, Piper."_

_Once class started, Piper couldn't focus yet again. She was so absorbed in her own world that she didn't notice Dr. Platt introducing a person up front._

_"This is my good friend Alex. She has just graduated from this university with degrees in international relations and psychology. Now she is doing research on campus before she goes into grad school. Please welcome her as she stays with us for a couple of weeks." Dr. Platt proudly introduced Alex as if she had been one of her disciples. "You can seat wherever you like, Alex."_

_Piper was still on her own world when Alex sat beside her._

_"Hey there, stranger." Alex whispered. This very memorable voice is enough to make Piper snap back to reality. Her mouth suddenly feels so dry._

_"I'm sorry. I didn't hear your name." Piper managed to speak._

_"Alex."_

_"I'm Piper, and I'm not in a rush today." _OH MY GOD, Piper, could you be more phony than this? _She thought to herself._

_"Good to know, Piper. Nice to meet you." With a grin on her face, Alex turned her attention to Dr. Platt's lecture._

_Polly elbowed Piper, trying to keep in her laughter. This was a gold moment. Piper just blushed and pretended to take notes. _

_In the middle of class, Piper's phone vibrates in her pocket. She looks at the screen and a smile makes its way onto her face. The message was from Larry, her goofy, hopeless romantic boyfriend. It said that he had made reservations in her favorite restaurant for dinner. How could she say no to that? She quickly sent him a message asking what time he would pick her up. For some reason, she tried to hide her phone from Alex._

* * *

_"So, I was wondering if you would like to go for a drink some time, Piper?" Alex asked as they were heading out of the classroom. "I would like to ask you some questions for my study, if that's possible."_

_Piper was caught off guard. "I'm sorry. Today I have a date with my boyfriend."_

_"Well, I didn't specifically say today… But, it's nice to know you have a boyfriend." Alex raised her left eyebrow in a perfect curve._

_"I'm sorry. That's not what I meant. Wait. No. I do have a boyfriend. But I'd love to be a part of your study." Piper tried to correct herself awkwardly. "So, maybe another time?"_

_"Yeah, maybe another time." Alex said nonchalantly and left._

_Piper immediately felt sick to her stomach, as if a rock had replaced her stomach._

* * *

**A few hours later**

_"Piper, we're going to be late. Will you please hurry up?" Larry ran a hand through his short curly hair._

_"I'm almost done." Piper's voice came from the bathroom._

_Larry sighed, "ok, I'll be waiting in the car."_

_"Yeah, yeah, what a gentleman." Piper whispered to herself._

What the hell is wrong with you, Chapman? Snapping like that? Angry about your little episode this morning with Alex? Well, let me remind you that that was completely your fault. – _Her subconscious made the rock in her stomach feel heavier._

_Piper quickly finished putting her makeup on, and left her apartment. The restaurant wasn't very far, but it seemed like the ride took ages. A heavy silence surrounded the couple. They both thought about how funny the perception of time can change._

_Trying to break the silence, Larry asked, "so how were your classes today?"_

Really? We're going to talk about classes? – _Piper thought to herself. "They were fine. I was asked to participate in a psychology study today."_

_"That's great! You should definitely do that. It will help you gain experience in the field."_

_As soon as those words came out of his mouth, Piper wanted to die. _If only you knew. _"Yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to gaining 'experience'. She smiled to herself._

_Feeling pleased, thinking he had broken the ice, Larry smiled and reached for Piper's hand. While the lights were red, he looked into her eyes and gave her a peck on the lips._

_When they finally arrive at Piper's favorite restaurant, Piper immediately recognizes a throaty laughter coming from the bar section of the restaurant. Alex. She was with a red head who looked like she had better hair days before. They looked like they were having so much fun. Piper felt a sting on her chest area._

_"I don't know if I feel so hungry anymore, Larry." Piper tried to hold Larry, who was already walking towards their table which was facing the bar._

_"What do you mean, Piper? I'm sure once you see the food your hunger will come back." Larry practically pulled her towards their table._

_It doesn't take very long for Alex to notice Piper and her boyfriend. She very openly sends her a wink, which instantly makes Piper blush, drawing laughter from Alex and her friend._

_"Larry, I need to use the restroom. I'll be right back" Piper felt like screaming._

_Not long after, Alex followed Piper to the restroom. "That's your so called boyfriend?" Alex asks after the door to the woman's restroom closes._

_Piper looks at Alex's reflection through the bathroom's mirror. "Yeah," she manages to say, looking down._

_"Is that another one of the persons you're using for your study?"_

_"Oh, you mean Nicky? No. She's my friend. Fucking rich roommate from when I used to study here."_

_A sense of relief fills Piper. She sighs. Once she gets the courage to look up again at her reflection at the mirror, she is surprised by how close Alex is behind her. Their eyes meet on the reflection, and for a moment it seems like the time has stopped. Alex's soft hands take Piper's wrist, and spin her around to face her. They are so close. So close, yet so far away. But not for long because Alex's hand makes its way to Piper's cheek and then it slowly travels to the nape of Piper's neck. It's as if their eyes are in a spell, and anything –even blinking - would break the moment. Their kiss is slow at first. Soft in its touch, they are both engrossed in it. Hearts jumping out of their chests, the kiss picks up its pace, their hands seek to explore each other._

_"Slow down, woman, I need to breathe." Alex tries to catch her breath._

_Piper feels a pang in her chest as she remembers Larry is just outside, waiting for her. "I can't. I shouldn't have done this -"Alex cuts her off with another kiss. This time their kiss is hungry for pleasure, and it is only stopped when a woman opens the door to the restroom. They both start laughing._

_"I'll see you soon, Pipes." Alex gives her a wink and leaves to meet Nicky, who seems to know all too well what happened in there._

_"Yeah," she manages to say, "I'll see you later."_

* * *

_**AN: Thank you for the reviews everyone! They make me very happy and motivated. I'll try to write this story in a timely manner so that you may enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it. I'm sorry I can't reply to the reviews yet because it seems like my account hasn't been activated for long enough (whatever that means...). Also, I'm sorry for writing short chapters. I wish I could write more, but I'm pretty busy with college myself. Thank you for the support once again. See you soon! **_


	3. Chapter 3 - Flashback Part 2

_**Library**_

_Piper had a table all to herself in the library, which did not happen very often, especially during finals week. She had so many projects and exams to turn in that she thought she wouldn't be able to finish them all. In addition to all the stress of finals, she couldn't seem to focus on her task at hand. Her paper on abnormal psychology was nowhere near done because her mind kept wondering off to a certain brunette that made herself welcome into her life._

_Focus – Piper kept telling herself – but her eyes were so beautiful, and her lips were so soft. Her perfume was so intoxicating, her smile was so dazzling, her voice so enthralling. PIPER! Get a hold of yourself!_

_Piper decided to walk around a bit to stretch her legs and clear her mind. There were times she had to rethink about her career decision. It felt like she put so much struggle and effort aimlessly. Future could be so uncertain. As she walked through the aisles of organized books, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and she knew it would be Larry, but she just did not feel like talking to him. Ever since their date, he kept saying they needed to talk because he felt 'insecure' about their relationship._

_Of course he would feel insecure… Even my sexual orientation is feeling insecure at the moment – Piper chuckled at the thought._

"_You look tired" Alex's voice disturbed Piper's train of thought._

"_Alex! What are you doing here?!" Piper was taken by surprise. Alex had been sitting on a couch very close to her study station._

"_I guess I'm just passing time for now. No finals to study for, just reading, you know?"_

"_That's great. Sounds like a dream to me."_

"_How many finals do you have to take?"_

"_Just three:, two for psych classes and one for chemistry. For all my other classes, I'll be doing discussions, presentations, or essays."_

"_Sounds tough. I remember doing all that and I'm more than glad it's over" Alex gave Piper her beautiful smile, and everything felt like it would be alright. "Well, is there anything I can help you with?"_

"_That sounds like a great offer, but I think I'll be fine."_

"_I really wouldn't mind. Besides I have to put this good stuff I learned into practice or else I'd forget everything, right?"_

"_If you say so… I'm just writing a paper right now."_

"_You look like you need a good cup of coffee." Not letting Piper say another word, Alex left quickly to get her a cup of coffee._

* * *

_**30 minutes later**_

"_Hey, Nicky, what's up?" Alex answered her phone as she walked up the stairs to where Piper's table was located in the library._

"_I'm fucking bored. Are we going out tonight or what?"_

"_Not tonight, hun. I've got plans."_

"_Finally getting it on with the Pipes girl?"_

"_No, no. I'm helping her with finals."_

_Nicky burst out laughing on the other side of the phone. "The shit. Alex Vause helping the needy study. How cute."_

"_Shut the fuck up! I'm just doing things right this time."_

"_No kidding. Alex Vause, the heart breaker, trying to make things right… Getting her all comfortable and into you?" Alex didn't know how to answer that one. She knew Piper had something different. She felt this weird feeling whenever they talked. It wasn't even weird. She felt like no words in the English language would be able to describe what was happening._

"_Yeah, I gotta go, Nicky. I'll talk to you later ok?" Alex turned off her phone as she approached a sleeping Piper._

_God, she looks so cute when she sleeps – Alex thought to herself – How could I possibly wake her up? After debating with herself for a while, she decided to let Piper sleep for a while. She stretched Piper's legs on the other chairs and laid her head on her shoulder. Incredibly, to her surprise, Piper was a very heavy sleeper._

"_I guess your coffee will have to get cold," Alex whispered to Piper before she gave Piper a kiss on her temple._

* * *

"_I'm sorry but you really have to leave. We're past closing time, ma'am." The library woman stared sternly at Alex, and Alex met her stare just as fiercely. "Look, I have to get home and it's already 12:30"_

"_What's going on? What time is it?" Piper says sleepily._

"_Well, fuck you, library lady, you're not the only one that has had a stressful week." With that, the library lady left with an arrogant look on her face._

_Coming to her senses, Piper asked desperately, "what time is it? Alex why didn't you wake me up?"_

"_You needed to take a nap."_

"_Well, not for three fucking hours."_

"_You looked pretty comfortable to me," Alex replied with a grin plastered on her face._

"_You jerk, you'll pay for this."_

"_I certainly hope so." That was enough to make Piper blush entirely. She gathered her belongings, and put all of her stuff into her backpack. They both started their ways towards the exit._

"_I'm sorry, I should've woken you up. If it helps, I read through your paper and thesis statement, and got some information from books I read to help you support your points. You only need to put it all together. I also took the liberty to look through your study schedule and I made a study sheet of all the things that Dr. Platt will definitely ask on her exam. She's too predictable."_

_Piper stopped on her tracks. The emotions that kept emerging in her heart seemed to be engulfing her whole. She knew what that feeling was, and she hadn't felt it in such a long time. It was love._

"_Why?" Piper managed to utter without facing Alex. By this time, both of them had stopped walking. "Why are you being like this? Why are you helping me?"_

_Alex was taken aback by the shower of personal questions. She didn't know if she could answer them or if she even wanted to do that right now. Sure, she wanted Piper as the real thing, but she needed to prepare herself too. Was she trying too hard, Alex thought to herself. "I'm into you."_

_Piper turned to face her. "What are you? Twelve?" Piper looked exasperated " You just come out of nowhere and just start bringing these weird feelings to me. You know what, I like you, Alex. I can't stop thinking about you – "_

_Alex had a new hobby. Stealing kisses from Piper was her new favorite thing to do. It was only their second kiss, and it was so special. Their kiss was a mixture of all the good feelings she had ever felt. Passion, lust, love, care, excitement, hunger, besides others. Adrenaline rushed through her veins and her heart pumped so strong within her chest. Yes, she thought, I know this isn't a mistake. I love her._

_Once they became aware that they were still in the middle of campus at 1 am. They both started laughing. "Let's go back to my room. You better keep your word to help me study." Piper urged Alex as she took her hand and they walked to Piper's room._

"_I will."_

* * *

_**6 AM – Piper's room**_

"_Pipes, you've studied enough. We went over the material over ten times already. I'm pretty sure you'll nail it and keep your 4.0 GPA."_

"_Giving me nicknames now? Are we there yet?" Piper sheepishly grinned and gave Alex a quick kiss._

"_I guess so. We've been together here, studying about human sexuality for more than 4 hours after you finished your paper. We didn't even do any practical studies…" Alex winked at Piper, which earned her a small slap on the shoulder. "So, I think I can give you whatever name I want to give you."_

"_Fine. I actually like it, Al." Piper triumphantly stated._

"_Al. I like mine too." Alex gave small kisses that trailed from Piper's lips to her chin line, and then to her neck. "Come; come be my little spoon." Alex tapped the empty space beside her. "Get some sleep before your test."_

_Piper gave in to Alex's request, and soon enough they were both fast asleep. Comfortable with each other, as if the whole world constituted of only two people who recently discovered love. _

* * *

**AN: I'm so sorry for taking such a long time to update. I just got my break from college. Anyways, y'all should thank me 'cause I was gonna make this chapter heartbreaking as hell, but I didn't. I should stop falling for people I would never have a chance to be with. Enough with the rant... Thanks for reading! Comments are much appreciated! :) See ya!**


	4. Chapter 4 - Home

**AN: So, I thought y'all should know that the M sex stuff starts on this chapter. You've been warned. Also, I might as well remind you that I do not own any of the characters of this story (well, maybe just one ;) ). **

* * *

**Sunday After Thanksgiving**

**10:00 AM – Carol and Bill Chapman's House**

**New York, NYC**

"Hello, Carol. Spare me the bullshit and tell me where Piper is." Alex had enough. She was not going to give up easily.

"Alex. Alex Vause, the infamous woman who turned my beautiful and only daughter into a lesbian. You're taller than what I imagined, I'll give you that." Mrs. Chapman looked up and down at Alex, raising her left brow in disproof.

"So I've been told. So where is she?" Alex rolled her eyes.

"Do you really think I'd be telling you that after I successfully carried out my plan to save my daughter from the life you would provide her?"

"Excuse me for enhancing her education and opening doors for her that she would never know existed if she had never met me."

"If you're referring to her sexual orientation, I'm sure she would've done just fine without you. Larry can perfectly provide her with the happiness she deserves."

"Is your definition of happiness misery? Because we used to be happier than you would ever be."

"Enough," Bill Chapman raised his voice in frustration, "I'm sorry Alex, but we are not going to give you what you want, so you might as well leave."

"I knew this be a waste of my time," Alex whispered to herself as she walked away to her car. She thought that the best way to resolve the problem was to reason with the source of the problem, but she had couldn't have been more wrong. Driving away, she knew exactly where she would be headed.

* * *

Taking a deep breath before knocking on the door, Alex rethought if this would be a good idea. She didn't have much choice anyways. She knocked hesitantly.

"Alex. Oh my god, Alex. I've been trying to get a hold of you. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your relationship with Piper. I really didn't." Polly hugged Alex, which caught her completely by surprise. Alex didn't know how to react to that. _That _was the last thing she expected from visiting Polly. She thought she would have another episode of what happened on Piper parents' house. "Please come in."

Once they were seated, they continued their conversation.

"I'm sorry for treating you like a bitch, but I was pretty upset when I learned that Piper had left." Alex looked down at the cup of coffee she was holding.

"Don't worry. I would've done the same thing if I were you. Piper never listens to my advices, and she chose to listen to me on the most inappropriate time. I promise you I had no idea she would go AWOL."

"It's ok. I'm not giving up," Alex said sympathetically, "I'm going after her."

"I knew you would, and that's why I'm telling you she took an internship in Paris, teaching English to middle school students," Polly gave her a piece of paper that contained a telephone number and the address of the school.

"Thank you, Polly, I completely changed my mind about you!" Alex lay down her coffee on the table, grabbed her coat, and gave Polly a hug before rushing out through the doors.

"Good luck!" Polly yelled and waved.

* * *

**JFK Airport**

**8:00 PM**

"Hey, mom," Alex answered her phone as she waited for her plane.

"_What are you up to, kiddo? I heard what happened with you and Piper. Are you alright?"_

"Yes, mom, I'm going after her right now."

"_Good. I didn't raise a wimp who gives up on the first challenge."_

Alex gave a throaty laughter. "No mom, you didn't."

"_Al, just answer me a question: is she worth it? Do you really love her? I don't want you to have your heart broken."_

"I really do love her. You've met her mom. I have never felt this way about anyone."

"_Yeah, she's the only one you ever brought for me to meet. I once thought you would never settle down, but I could see you two together. Go for it, kiddo. Have a safe trip and good luck! Call me once you get there, okay?"_

"Okay. Thanks, mom."

_"I love you, hun."_

"Love you too." Alex disconnected the call and stared at her reflection on the big windows that faced the airplanes.

* * *

During the ten hour flight, Alex couldn't sleep, thinking about the possibilities; the things she would say to keep Piper from leaving her. She kept remembering their special moments. She remembered how Piper always talked about traveling around the world, exploring and going through adventures throughout different cultures. She wished they could have been meeting together in Paris in different circumstances. Their time together hadn't been as long as she wished, but she knew she had to try.

"What are you planning to do in Paris?" The woman who sat beside Alex asked her. A brunette with blue eyes, looking to be around in her thirties flashed a smile at Alex.

"Personal stuff," Alex tried to brush her off.

"I see. You don't have to worry about me getting into your business. It's not like we're seeing each other again, right? You look like you need a stranger to talk to."

"Fuck you." Alex laughed disbelievingly.

"So what is it? Heartbreak?"

"Sort of." Alex debated if she should open up to the stranger.

"By the way, my name is Sarah," Sarah offered another one of her smiles to Alex.

"Alex." Alex returned the smile.

"So, Alex, you're a tough cracker huh? You're really not gonna tell me anything…" Sarah tried again. Seeing that Alex wouldn't budge to her offer, Sarah started to talk about herself. "Well, I'm going to break up with my fiancée. The bastard cheated on me with my best friend, can you believe that?"

Alex snickered.

"Fuck you, don't laugh at my tragedy!"

"Just saying, typical Hollywood style movie, or Parisian literature."

"Whatever, I didn't love him anyway. He didn't make me feel special. He didn't make me feel the love I always dreamed and once felt for someone before." Alex could somehow understand what Sarah was talking about. "You know, love is so strange. It's such a beautifully decorated two edged sword that can definitely work for you or against you. And, most of the time, it's just so complicated."

"Yeah, I'll give you that. Fucking complicated," Alex sighed and looked around just in time to see a mother covering her baby's ears, and giving her a cold, penetrating stare.

"Haha! Looks like she's not very fond of you," Sarah laughed and tapped Alex's thigh. "You're a cool person, Alex. Here's my number." Sarah handed her a card that stated that she was a pediatrician with her own clinic in New York. "Call me if you just need anyone to talk about your shitty love life, okay?"

Alex looked at the card and put it on her leather jacket pocket. "Thanks," she said before turning her section light off to try to get some sleep.

* * *

Alex was able to get a nap in the plane, but not nearly enough. The only downside she saw in traveling was jet lag. She never liked anything that messed her sleep schedule. Yawning, she made her way to the baggage claim, and waved goodbye to Sarah when they went separate ways. Alex went to the car rentals booth, and soon enough she was on her way to the address she had kept so safely in her wallet.

When she arrived at the school, she learned that the students weren't in session anymore. Only tutoring sessions were going around. No one seemed to have heard about a woman named Piper. Hell, Alex had a hard time understanding the English with the French accent.

"For the a hundredth time, I'm looking for a woman named Piper. P.I.P.E.R., a blond woman, who's supposed to be tutoring here." Alex desperately tried to motion with her hands the descriptions of Piper. To make her even more exasperated, she heard a laughter coming from behind her.

"Well, this is just fucking hilarious."

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Alex asked Sarah, still not fully recovered from her frustration.

"My so called fiancée is the president of this institution, Alex. I should be the one asking you that question." Sarah teased Alex.

"I'm looking for someone. Piper to be specific, my girlfriend."

"Oh, your girlfriend. Interesting. I finally get a glimpse of why you're here. It is the city of love, isn't it? Don't worry, I'll help you find her in no time. What did you say her name was?"

Before Alex could answer, something caught her eye. She saw from the distance, blond lock's that were dangling as its owner walked around one of the classrooms. Alex rushed to the window of that classroom. She couldn't help but feel emotional at the scene. Piper had such a beautiful smile on her face. Alex knew Piper was fulfilling her dream. She looked so happy. Long enough, their eyes met and Piper's face changed from the beautiful smile to tears that were on the verge of making her crumble.

Alex ran to meet Piper, and wipe the tears that didn't belong on her face. Once they met, their bodies clashed in a hug that seemed inseparable. Alex gently lifted Piper's cheeks with both of her hands and gave her small kisses on Piper's eyelids.

"I'm sorry, Al. I didn't know what to do. "Alex's heart broke as she heard Piper's words. She immediately understood what Piper was going through by herself. Piper hadn't shared the burden she was holding, and that made Alex crumble and hug her even tighter.

"Shh- It's all okay now. We're going to get through this together." Alex whispered.

They held each other for a while. While they were too engrossed in their re-encounter, Sarah told the class they were dismissed for the day, which earned her a thank you from both Alex and Piper.

"No problem. I'm glad you two found each other." Sarah left them alone to go find her own fiancée.

"Let's go home, Al. I need you." Piper took Alex's hand and they made their way to Piper's place.

* * *

Their ride had been so quiet, but not filled with tension. They felt like the air was filled with their unspoken thoughts. They exchanged glances and smiles; their hands were as if they were one. Once they got to Piper's home, they still couldn't break the silence. It was as if their relationship had reached a level that made them able to understand each other's thoughts. They laid on Piper's bed – Piper let her head rest of Alex's chest. The heartbeat that seemed so familiar to her was steady, she closed her eyes and she was home.

Alex played with Piper's hair that sprawled across her chest. After a while, she raised Piper from her position and gave her a soft kiss that grew in hunger and intensity. Being apart only led them to have withdrawal symptoms for each other. Each kiss was as if it burned on her skin. Alex spun Piper on the bed so that she would be on top of her. She quickly discarded her shirt, and proceeded to give Piper small kisses that now wondered through her body.

"Alex," Piper moaned, which earned her another kiss. Alex's tongue invited itself to Piper's mouth again by licking Piper's bottom lip. Alex caressed Piper's every inch of body, making sure that with each touch she conveyed the feelings she had never truly put into actual words. Piper wrapped her legs around Alex's waste and spun them around, with her landing on top of Alex. She quickly removed her shirt and her bra, then she started to undo Alex's pants. She used her own hands to explore Alex's body and her warmth. Her nipples were so perfect, and that's why she loved to kiss them.

Alex couldn't resist anymore. She flipped their positions again and removed all the garments Piper still had, while she kissed her. Soon enough, her kisses began to trail down. She left a pathway that went from Piper's jawline to her neck, then to her collarbone and shoulder, then to both of her excited nipples, then to her perfectly in shape abs and bellybutton. Grabbing both of Piper's legs, Alex fully kissed Piper's clit. Piper let another moan escape her mouth. She grabbed Alex's her with both of her hands urging Alex to continue.

Being careful to make sure Piper was feeling comfortable, Alex slid her tongue between Piper's labia majora. Her index and middle fingers slid into Piper so easily. This had a major effect on Piper. Piper moaned her name so loudly that it only made her want to go further and give her greater pleasure. She began to thrust her fingers inside of Piper, while she kissed Piper's clit and circled it with her tongue.

"God, Alex! I'm gonna come!" Piper screamed and grabbed the sheets on her side. To Alex's satisfaction, Piper shuddered and convulsed not too long after.

They both were trying to catch their breaths, but Piper brought Alex's face to her eye level. She kissed her so sweetly.

"I love you, Piper," Alex said as she looked deep into Piper's eyes.

"I love you too, Alex."

* * *

**AN: I'm debating if I should continue this story. I probably will since I'm too lazy to start a new one, and this one seems rather unfinished. I shall make them suffer a bit more, right? no? Anyways, don't get used to daily updates. I'm on break but I do have a life. I just felt like making it up to you all for staying such a long time away. Again, comments are much appreciated and they are like fuel to my mini writer morale. See ya! :)**

**PS: I do not feel completely comfortable writing and describing hot steamy sex scenes, so forgive me if you were completely confused by my narrative. All mistakes are my own, I'm sorry.**


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